During the spring semester 2010, two district-wide surveys were administered to all faculty, staff, administrators, and a random sample of our students to collect information and preferences about compressing the calendar at SRJC.  The surveys, Voter's Guide, and all responses are linked to this page.  Results are summarized below.

RESULTS OF SURVEY TO FACULTY, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS

RESULTS OF SURVEY TO STUDENTS

DISTRICT-WIDE SURVEY VOTERS GUIDE

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RESULTS OF SURVEY TO FACULTY, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS
Survey questions 1, 3 (employee status and department): 
500 respondents completed the survey, including:
            137 adjunct faculty
            192 contract faculty
            131 classified staff
            37 administrators
            8 stnc
Every instructional department participated in the survey.

Survey questions 4, 5, 6 (compressed calendars at other institutions): 
30% of faculty respondents have experience working at other institutions with compressed calendars.  Of those institutions, 32% are community colleges.  65% of faculty found that the compressed calendar was more effective than problematic, and another 23% found differences in schedules insignificant.  11% felt the compressed calendar was more problematic than effective.
Click here to read faculty comments regarding effectiveness of compressed calendars at other institutions (question 7).

Survey questions 8, 9, 11 (teaching schedule preferences):
16% of faculty respondents currently teach classes two days a week and would prefer to teach those classes three or more days a week.  62% prefer to continue teaching two days a week.  A majority of faculty respondents prefer their current teaching schedule to alternatives.
Click here to read faculty comments about preferences for teaching schedules (question 12).

Survey question 13 (Spring Break):
51% of faculty respondents prefer to leave spring break in the middle of spring semester (our current schedule).  35% would prefer to move those vacation days to winter or summer break to minimize the impact on instruction.
Click here to read faculty comments about preferences for spring break (questions 13 and 14).

Survey questions 15, 16 (Finals Schedule):
31% of faculty respondents prefer to offer traditional finals during the last week of the semester (our current schedule).  62% of our faculty prefer to give finals during the last week of classes instead of having a separate finals schedule.   21% need a single 2 hour, 45 minute block for each final.  A combined 68% could offer finals during regular class meetings or labs. 
Click here to read faculty comments about preferences for the finals schedule (questions 15 through 17).

Survey questions 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 (Length of Semester, schedule priorities):
500 respondents selected a preference for length of semester.
            22% prefer 18 weeks
            21% prefer 17 weeks
            44% prefer 16 weeks
            12% no preference
If we converted to a 17-week semester, 56% prefer fall finals to end at least one week before December 25, and 68% prefer spring semester to begin after MLK Day, allowing for a longer winter break.  If we converted to a 16-week semester, a majority of respondents prefer to begin both semesters one week later and conclude both one week earlier. 
Click here to read faculty comments about preferences for length of semester (question 24).

Survey question 23 (Summer/Winter Breaks):
If semesters were shortened, respondents are virtually tied between offering a longer winter break/possible winter intersession or a longer summer break/possible longer summer session.

Survey question 25 (concerns):
What are your concerns about compressing the calendar at SRJC?
Click here to read all comments for this question.

Survey question 26 (potential benefits):
What do you see as the potential benefits of compressing the calendar at SRJC?
Click here to read all comments for this question.

Survey question 27 (preference for compressed calendar at SRJC):
67% of faculty, classified, and administrators who responded to the survey are in favor of some version of a compressed calendar.  19% prefer no changes to the calendar.  15% are unsure or have no opinion.

Click here to read the complete survey statistical results as a pdf document.

Click here to read the complete listing of survey comments as a pdf document.

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RESULTS OF SURVEY TO STUDENTS
A student survey was distributed and collected during spring semester, 2010.  The random selection of 19 classes from across our curriculum was conducted by the Office of Institutional Research, which developed the survey strategy to provide 95% confidence rating in results (with a 5% margin of error).  Selected faculty were asked to read a brief paragraph of instructions to their students to ensure consistency in how the surveys were administered.  Surveys were scanned and coallated by the Office of Institutional Research.

Survey questions 1 (educational goals at SRJC): 
359 students completed the survey and indicated their educatonal goals at SRJC:
           Career/technical certificate     27.7%
           Transfer    50.8%
           Associate's Degree   36.9%
           Job training     92%
           Personal interest/ self improvement     20.2%
           Improve basic skills, prepare for GED   4.5%
           Not sure/undecided    5.2%

Survey question 2 (adjustments to semester lengths):
30.9% of students prefer lengthening summer break or offering more/longer classes during the summer session while 11.3% prefer a longer winter break or opportunity to take short/inteneisve classes during a winter session.  38.7% prefer starting each semester a week later and ending a week earlier, lengthening time to both winter and summer breaks.  12.8% had no opinion or were not sure.

Survey question 3 (preferences for class meetings):
67.8% of students are willing to take classes two days a week, compared with 29.8% for one day a week, 29.8% for three days a week, 23% for more than three days, 15.7% for weekend classes, and 34% for online classes.  50.8% are willing to take daytime classes and 50.3% are willing to take evening classes.  

Survey question 4 (final exam schedule):
62.3% of students prefer to take finals on the last 1 or 2 days of class without changing class time or duration.  21.5% prefer the current finals schedule.  12.6% had no opinion.

Survey question 5 (spring break):
53.1% of students prefer having spring break in the middle of spring semester.  11.5% prefer moving the holidays to winter break, and 13.1% prefer moving the holidays to summer break. 16% had no opinion.

Survey question 6 (intensively-scheduled classes during winter break):
36.9% of students would take intensively-scheduled classes (less than 5 weeks) during winter break to fast-track their education, while 33.5% might, and 18.8% would not.  5% had no opinion.

Survey question 7 (summer classes):
31.7% of students would like summer classes offered at 6, 8, and/or 10 weeks.  20.9% prefer our current summer schedule of 6 to 8 weeks.  18.3% would prefer 5 week classes.  21.2% had no opinion.

Survey question 8 (compressed calendar at SRJC)
62.6% of students are in favor of a compressed calendar at SRJC.  16% prefer our current semester length, and 15.4% had no opinion.

Click here to read the original student survey and see statistical results.
Click here to read the originial student survey and see numerical results.
Click here to read student comments. 

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DISTRICT-WIDE SURVEY VOTERS GUIDE
Click here to access the survey Voters Guide pdf document.

All faculty, staff, and administrators will be invited to participate in a District-wide survey to determine whether or not SRJC should convert to a compressed calendar.  The survey will be distributed via email this spring, 2010.  Results of the survey will be available on these web pages.  Students will also be surveyed.

The survey will address the following issues.  Please think about these ideas carefully and discuss them with your colleagues.  We encourage everyone to be well informed before responding to the official survey.

Length of semester
Compressing the calendar would offer more flexible scheduling options for our academic calendar.  For example, the summer session could be longer or our winter break could be lengthened to include a winter intersession program.  Most community colleges on compressed calendar start fall semester a week later than we do and finish a week sooner in December. Some colleges start the spring semester much later than we do and offer a Winter Intersession. Some colleges are not currently offering a winter intersession but have left space in the schedule for this option when growth is desired.  Some colleges opt for a longer, more flexible summer session.

• Which semester length (including finals) would you prefer?
     18 weeks total (current length)
     17 weeks total
     16 weeks total
  
  
• Which priority would you set if we converted to a 17 week semester?
     Fall:
        Start the semester a week later and leave the end date unchanged
        Start the semester so that finals end at least one week before Dec. 25th
     Spring:
        Start the semester after MLK Day (allows for a longer winter break)
        End the semester a week earlier regardless of the winter break length
  
  
• Which priority would you set if we converted to a 16 week semester?
     Fall:
        Start the semester a week later and end one week earlier in December
        Start the semester two weeks later and leave December as is
        Start the semester as is and end the semester two weeks earlier in December
     Spring:         
        Start the semester a week later (after MLK day) and end one week earlier in May
        Start the semester two weeks later and leave May as is
        Start the semester as is and end the semester two weeks earlier in May.
  
  
• Which of these would be your highest priority if we shorten the semester?
     Longer winter break/possible winter intersession
     Longer summer break/possible longer summer session

• Do you teach classes two days a week that you would prefer to teach three or more days a week?
  
  
• Which teaching schedule would you prefer for the majority of your classes?
       One day a week: (Monday through Saturday)
       Two days a week: M/W, and/or T/Th
       Three days a week:  (M, W, F)
       Four days a week or more: (M, T, TH, F)
       Online
       Other:__________

• Which of the following schedules would you prefer?
     Add additional week to winter intersession, eliminating spring break
     Add additional week to summer intersession, eliminating spring break
     Spring break left in middle of spring semester (current schedule)

• Which of the following schedules would you prefer for finals?
     Offer traditional finals schedule during last week of semester (current schedule)
     Allow instructors to schedule finals during last days of classes

• What are the potential concerns of compressing the calendar at SRJC?
  
• What are the potential benefits of compressing the calendar at SRJC?
  
• Are you in favor of a compressed calendar at SRJC?